At least four destructive tornadoes were reported Tuesday in Louisiana as a volatile storm moved through the South.
"Take shelter now," the National Weather Service warned as a tornado ripped through Livingston Parish, east of Baton Rouge.
Three other tornadoes damaged homes and uprooted trees across the state, according to the National Weather Service.
One of them, in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner, damaged a few cars in a lot west of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, according to the National Weather Service. No flights were directly affected, but the airport said Tuesday afternoon that some delays and cancellations were possible because of the bad weather in general.
No injuries were reported, a spokesman for the city told NBC News.
In Ascension Parish, at least eight homes and businesses were damaged, said Meredith Conger, a planning officer with the parish's emergency management agency.
More from NBC News:
Meteorite suspected in death of man in Southern India
Bacteria have ability to 'see,' eye-opening study finds
U.N. panel seeks greenhouse gas rules for planes
Government offices in 15 parishes closed at noon (1 p.m., ET) to get people home before the dangerous weather hit, state Administration Commissioner Jay Dardenne said.
More than 6,000 customers across the state didn't have power by 2 p.m. as officials warned of the possibility of more tornadoes.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service in Little Rock said southeast Arkansas could get 3 inches or more of rain, while the Ozark and Ouachita mountain areas could see 1 to 3 inches of snow Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
A high wind watch was in effect for central and northeast Arkansas from 6 p.m. Tuesday until Wednesday afternoon.
Parts of Alabama could also expect extreme winds, prompting Mobile County Schools to close early Tuesday.
Atlanta and the Florida cities of Pensacola and Tallahassee were likely to be most at risk overnight into Wednesday, Weather Channel meteorologist Kevin Roth said. The same storm was later expected to produce damaging winds across the Mid-Atlantic, he said.
